Hey guys!!! Sorry about going MIA. Things have been a little hectic, but I’m back now. I thought today would be a great time to give you guys an update on how the new vegan lifestyle was going and to give y’all some of my favorite quick and easy meals.

So as y’all know I am a born and raised Texan through and through.  I used to eat meat at almost every single meal and sometime I would just have slices of meat as a snack. PROTEIN y’all! For most of my life if someone talked about being vegetarian or vegan I would laugh and tell ‘em they were crazy but props.  I thought there is nnnooooooo way that I could EVER stop eating meat. I am telling you right now that giving up meat has been the easiest of big changes I have ever made in my life. I simply cannot get over it. Eating more fruits and vegetables has been great. The hardest part for me by far has been the dairy. It’s insane how many of the foods that I absolutely love to eat have dairy. These last few months have had some major adjustments and been 100% worth it. I feel so much better in every way since changing my eating style. I have more energy, feel more awake, and have way less tummy issues (acid reflux, ew). I’m not going to lie I have had times here and there where I’ve had baked goods or cheese but it’s been very minimal and I’m darn proud of myself.

If you read my previous post about that first month and how I didn’t feel good you may have been wondering what was up with that. Well part of it was the big difference in protein, but the main thing was my carb intake. So like I posted before BIG DISCLAIMER HERE: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, dietitian, etc. Please make sure to consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet.

I have been working out at the gym more and started following several vloggers on YouTube. It turns out carbs are good! I had cut a HUGE amount of carbs out of my diet because I had always heard that carbs hurt your weight loss goals. Well apparently according to several people when you are working out you want to do about 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat. Now of course every person is different but this is just the general rule of thumb according to what I’ve been hearing. My heart is happy again!!! Come here bread, pasta, and potatoes!!!!! Oh yeah.

So you may be wondering, “Well Krystal, what in the world ARE you eating?” Good question!

I don’t know about you but it seems to me that the simpler a meal is the better it is. My favorite go to meals are as follows:

 

Roasted Chickpeas and Vegetables

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas

3 leeks (or whatever onion you prefer)

½ bag of baby carrots

2-3 potatoes (whichever you like)

2tbls oil (I used olive, but again whatever your preference is)

1tbl garlic

1tbl herbs of your preference (I used herbs de Provence)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F

Clean and cube potatoes

Drain and rinse chickpeas

Toss everything with the oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs. Spread on a nonstick pan and roast for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

This is such a quick, easy, and filling recipe. There’s a minimal amount of prep work. Most importantly there is a minimal amount of cleaning involved aaaaaand the whole house smells delicious. This is also a great left over meal to reheat at work for lunch.

 

Greek Buffet

2-4 tbls of hummus (my favorite is sundried tomato and pesto)

2 slices of bread (Kroger makes some amazing fresh loaves for super cheap)

A handful of Kalamata olives (I buy the jarred pitted bc I’m lazy)

A few artichoke hearts (again I’m lazy and just buy the canned ones, some grocery stores have an area with olives and garlic and artichoke that are marinated. If you’re lucky enough to come across this, get you some!)

Maybe some garlic cloves if I’m not at work lol

As many pickled okra as I can eat (these probably aren’t a Greek thing, but they work great with the other flavors…..and also I’m obsessed with okra)

This meal requires no baking, prepping, cleaning, or anything else. You just cut the bread you want if it isn’t precut and eat.  See!!!!! I’m all about quick and easy with minimum cleanup!

 

Vegan Tacos

Ingredients

Tortillas

Refried Beans

Salsa

Pickled jalapeños

Chips

Directions

Layer beans, jalapeños, and salsa. Put in microwave for 30 seconds. Enjoy

Tip – Kroger makes the absolute best fresh tortillas! Eat them now. For real.

Tip 2 – If you have never tried these multigrain chips, make it a priority. They are so amazing.

 

Steamed Veggies and Rice

Ingredients

1 bag of steamable California vegetables

Brown rice

Salt

Garlic salt

Directions

Steam bag according to directions

Cook rice according to directions

Lightly sprinkle salt on veggies and lightly sprinkle garlic salt on brown rice. Seriously is anything more basic yet filling and delicious?

 

Well there you have it folks my top 4 simple, quick, and easy meals. You can make all of these in under an hour. In fact if you exclude the roasted vegetable recipe you can make all of these in under 20 minutes.